The Schengen 90/180 rule limits visa-free stays to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the entire Schengen area.
The Schengen 90/180 rule limits visa-free stays to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the entire Schengen area.
Also called: 90/180 rule.
How it works#
The window rolls backwards: on any given day, the days spent in the area during the previous 180 count together, whichever countries they were spent in. Arrival and departure days each count in full. Because the rule covers the whole area, moving to another country does not extend the allowance, a misunderstanding that leads to entry bans.
Not to be confused with#
The Schengen 90/180 rule is not the same as the validity of a visa: it caps how long you may stay regardless of how long a document remains valid.
In German#
The German term is Schengen-Aufenthaltsregel. German version of this term
Related terms#
- Passport validity rule: A passport validity rule is the requirement of many countries that a passport remain valid for a minimum period beyond departure, often six months.
- Electronic travel authorisation: An electronic travel authorisation is an online pre-clearance for visa-free travellers that has to be in place before departure.
- Transit visa: A transit visa is permission to pass through a country while connecting, even when no stay there is planned.
Articles that use this term#
TopicEvery article and term onRights and disruption.